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Our most frequently asked questions
Bioethanol Fireplaces FAQ
Before purchasing your first new biofuel fireplace there are a number of questions you might have. We have tried to answer as many of these as possible below. If you have any more questions, just contact our friendly, helpful staff.
4 Most Common FAQs
- Are bioethanol fireplaces safe?
Our bioethanol fireplaces give off real heat from real flames, so you have to treat them with the same level of common sense as you would any object with a real flame. Imaginfires are constantly updating and improving our biofires to ensure they are safe as possible. Our products have been tested by a world renowned testing laboratory to the new British & European safety standard BS EN 16647:2015, and this helps ensure we sell only products we would be delighted to have in our own homes. Our freestanding, firebasket & woodburner style bioethanolfires now include the new, patented, 'No Spill' fuel box too, so the biofuel is quickly absorbed by a special internal absorbtion feature and reduces the risk of any biofuel spilling out of the fireplace when knocked.
- Do I need a chimney for a bioethanol fire?
No. You dont need to have a chimney as our bioethanol fireplaces are smokeless. This is why we sell so many biofires to people in flats, as well as houses, conservatories etc. If you do have a chimney, then of course you can still use a bioethanol fireplace too, and it doesnt matter if the chimney is blocked or open. If it's open, then of course some of the heat from the bioethanol fireplace will be lost throught the chimney. If the chimney is closed/blocked then the heat will be retained in the room.
- Do bioethanol fireplaces give off real heat?
Yes. Absolutely. Whilst our bioethanol fireplaces are not intended to replace your main heating, e.g. central heating, they will make a perfect additional heating source when you would like to create a more gentle atmosphere, with that real flame, cosy feeling. The actual amount of heat output from our bioethanol fireplaces depends on a number of factors (room size, presence of drafts etc), but typically they will give off 2kw. For easy comparison, this is the equivalent of an electric heater on medium setting, or an increase in room temperature of 3 to 4 degrees. We're still working a way of measuring how much more cosy one of our bioethanol fireplaces will make any room!
- How long does bioethanol fuel last?
The efficient bioethanol fuel is the sole method to keep your bioethanol fireplace going. Just squeeze it out of its squeezable bottle, pour the fuel into the fuel box and enjoy your fireplace for long periods of time. But how long exactly? That hinges on your preferred use of the fuel box.
So, how long does bio ethanol fuel burn in a biofire?
On average, a litre of our bioethanol fuel will last between 3 and 4 hours. The exact time varies according to how fully open you have the opening of the steel fuel box. When opened fully, fuel will be used at a faster rate than when it is only half opened.
Type of fuel box
Burning time (per litre)
Half open
4 hours
Fully open
3 hours
Larger bio fires (with larger steel fuel boxes) will burn the biofuel at a faster rate than smaller bioethanol fireplaces, whilst others with a smaller opening may burn for longer. If used outdoors, then any wind will make the fuel burn faster and so shorten the total burn time.